Korea-India Automobile Industry Association Strengthens Cooperation to Host Hydrogen Mobility Show

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] The Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) have agreed to cooperate for the upcoming Hydrogen Mobility+ Show to be held in Korea this March.

On the 5th (local time), Jeong Manki, chairman of KAMA, met with Rajan Wadera, chairman of SIAM, in Noida, India, and agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation for the transition to a hydrogen economy. Previously, the two automobile industry associations signed an MOU in November last year to enhance cooperation, and this meeting was their first encounter since the MOU was signed.

In India, the India Auto Expo has been held from the 7th to the 12th of this month, starting with a press conference on the 5th (local time). Despite the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), the Indian government decided to proceed with the auto show.

Chairman Rajan said, "We have been preparing for the expo for a long time, and in a situation where cancellations of contracts by companies are difficult, we judged that holding the event normally is important to minimize economic downturn." He added, "We were able to persuade the government by establishing systematic quarantine facilities and emphasizing the necessity of holding the event."

KAMA plans to hold the Hydrogen Mobility+ Show domestically in March and is encouraging participation from Indian companies as well. Chairman Jeong responded, "Even during the difficult time of the COVID-19 spread, it is desirable to proceed with international economic events as planned to minimize economic contraction."

Additionally, Chairman Jeong and Chairman Rajan discussed effective countermeasures to prevent the severe spread of air pollution in India. In particular, Chairman Jeong mentioned that since India relies on fossil fuels for 74% of its electricity production, expanding electric vehicle adoption may not have a significant effect on preventing air pollution. He expressed the opinion that if India expands the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles using by-product hydrogen, it could respond to climate change without additional fossil fuels.

Chairman Rajan agreed with this explanation and emphasized the need for both associations to activate cooperation in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sector. They also agreed to regularly hold seminars involving companies and related organizations from both countries at the Hydrogen Mobility+ Show scheduled for March this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.